Wittpenn Bridge

The Wittpenn Bridge is a vertical-lift bridge that carries New Jersey Route 7 over the Hackensack River connecting Kearny and Jersey City, New Jersey. It is named after H. Otto Wittpenn, a former mayor of Jersey City. The bridge comprises four 10-foot-wide (3.0 m) lanes, extending 2,169 feet (661 m) and standing 35 feet (11 m) above mean high water with a 209-foot (64 m) main lift span. Bridge construction commenced in 1927, and it was opened to vehicular traffic on November 5, 1930. The bridge has an annual average daily traffic (AADT) of nearly 50,000 vehicles, including about 2,000 trucks.[2]

Wittpenn Bridge
Wittpenn Bridge, looking east in a 2004 photo
Coordinates40.740625°N 74.081336°W / 40.740625; -74.081336 (Wittpenn Bridge)
Carries4 lanes of Route 7
CrossesHackensack River
LocaleJersey City and Kearny, New Jersey
Official nameWittpenn Bridge
Other name(s)Route 7 Bridge
Maintained byNew Jersey Department of Transportation
ID number0909150[1]
Characteristics
DesignLift bridge
Total length2,169 feet (661 m)
Width40 feet (12 m)
Longest span83 feet (25 m)
Clearance below35 feet (11 m) (lowered)
100 feet (30 m) (raised)
History
OpenedNovember 5, 1930
Statistics
Daily traffic50,000
Location

When raised, the bridge provides 100 feet (30 m) of clearance for ships. Raising the lift span takes 15 minutes. In 2005, the bridge was raised to accommodate 80 boats passing underneath.[2]

Replacement
New bridge approach in Kearny, 2020

The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is replacing the Wittpenn Bridge and all its approach ramps (including connections to U.S. Route 1/9), a project estimated to cost $600 million, funded by federal dollars. The first phase of construction began in July 2011, and the overall project is expected to take 11 years to complete.[3] The new bridge will be situated just north of the existing bridge.[4]

The reconstruction of the bridge is being partially funded by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and it will be fully operational in 2021.[5] In November 2018, the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) investigated a complaint raised by United Airlines that the fees they were paying for Newark Airport use were being diverted to roadway and bridge projects such as the Wittpenn Bridge which are not owned or operated by the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey.[6]

Once completed, the bridge will carry the East Coast Greenway, a long-distance biking and walking trail, and the Meadowlands Connector, a New Jersey biking and walking trail that links Hudson and Essex counties.[7]

The bridge is expected to open in spring 2021.[8] In October 2020 the third and final section of the orthotropic bridge deck was hoisted into place.[9]

See also

References
  1. "Historic Bridge Survey (1991–1994)" (PDF). NJDOT. 2001. Retrieved 2013-03-26.
  2. Picture this: Drawbridge Operator, The Record (Bergen County), April 11, 2005
  3. http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2016/12/5_year_done_7_years_to_go_for_500m_new_wittpenn_br.html
  4. Conti Group (2011). "Conti to Kick off Wittpenn Bridge Repairs" 2011-07-18.
  5. "Another new bridge quietly rises in shadow of the Pulaski Skyway". NJ.com.
  6. Higgs, Larry (January 29, 2019). "Feds question Port Authority's use of airline fees to fund bridge projects". NJ.com.
  7. "New bike, walking trail would link N.J.'s 2 largest cities". Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  8. https://www.nj.com/traffic/2019/12/you-were-supposed-to-be-driving-on-this-new-bridge-by-now-whats-delaying-its-opening.html
  9. https://www.nj.com/news/2020/10/section-of-new-wittpenn-bridge-hoisted-into-place-but-its-not-ready-to-open-yet.html
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